Posted By:

BUFFALO, N.Y. - Mo Hassan, the Orchard Park resident awaiting trail for beheading his wife says he "felt an incredible amount of relief" after he killed his wife.

Hassan was interviewed on Wednesday morning by 2 On Your Side's Claudine Ewing. Cameras were not allowed inside the Erie County Holding Center for the interview but Claudine was allowed to take notes.

Hassan turned himself into police in February of 2009, after the murder occured outside of the Bridges TV studio in Orchard Park.

"You're not thinking, you're in a different state of mind," Hassan said.

The founder of the muslim television station says he was a victim of repeated domestic violence. He says his late wife, Aasiya would often have temper tantrums, shout, throw things at him, slap him, and more.

"I felt an incredible amount of relief," Hassan said about the day his wife was beheaded. "I felt like I had escaped from an Al Qaeda terrorist camp and the safest place was the Orchard Park Police Station. I felt safe and secure with them."

He spoke highly of the Orchard Park Police and how he was treated when he turned himself in. Hassan says he was a victim of spousal abuse and sought help, but constantly ran into roadblocks. Hassan says he found that there appeared to be help for female victims, but not males. He says he went to domestic violence classes, but they did more harm than good.

Hassan will go on trial in January. His attorneys will introduce evidence of "battered spouse syndrome." He said "if the jury agrees with my defense of Battered Spouse Syndrome, and that it was in self-defense, then I'll go home."

Days after the crime, 2 On Your Side spoke with Hassan's sister-in-law, Asma, in South Africa. She told us Asiya was abused, and feared for her life. "I was always in touch with her because I knew something was going to happen to her," said Asma.

As for Hassan, he is not denying he killed his wife. He wants to let people know about the abuse he says he suffered at the hands of his wife. "I didn't run or hide. I went straight to the police."

Leading up to the day of the horrific murder, Hassan says he feared he would never see his two young children again. They are now living with their grandparents in Pakistan. He says he wrote a letter to them and said "kids, remember, you are American first, Muslim second."